I Trust You
by St. Harridan
Summary: In light of the new threat, Kenpachi has to guard Mayuri during an investigation in the Dangai, and Jushiro can't help but submit to his concerns for the man. Spoilers for episode 317.


**A little "behind-the-scenes" thought up by a rabid fangirl. Set during episode 317 so, obviously, beware of spoilers. (I..._think _it's episode 317. Correct me if I'm wrong.)**

* * *

><p><span>I Trust You<span>

"Fuck this shit. Of all the goddamned captains of the Gotei 13, why _me_? Old fart ain't got much common sense if he thinks he can make me an' that fuckin' clown work t'gether. I'd rather _kill '_em than _protect _'em!"

Jushiro, leaning against the wall with arms folded across his chest, watched as Kenpachi paced about his office. With teeth clenched and grinding in fury, he had been going on and on about the Twelfth Division's captain for the better part of an hour, colourful phrases bouncing off of the walls as he hissed and spat.

It wasn't very much surprising to see Kenpachi like this, what with the notorious enmity between him and Kurotsuchi. During almost every captains' meeting, they'd find some way to start an argument that would inevitably turn into a full-blown fight hadn't Yamamoto been there to silence them with his authority.

Their quarrels were so often and over such slight matters that Jushiro, most of the time, arrived at the speculation that they actually _enjoyed_ those tongue-lashing sessions.

"'Tis _bullshit_!"

"Zaraki-"

"_What_?"

Jushiro cleared his throat, crossed the room to where Kenpachi stood seething, and reached out with both hands. Kenpachi instantly backed away, hissing a warning, but he slowed to a stop at the commanding look on the other man's face. With a sigh, Jushiro smoothed down the front of his wrinkled haori and patted away imaginary dust.

"As a captain, you have to be neat and presentable, especially when you're setting out for a mission," he tightened Kenpachi's obi, ignoring the warning growl he received, and straightened his shihakusho, "and even when you're to guard someone whom you don't take a liking to."

"He's a goddamned deadbeat who wears face paint and ties his zanpakuto against his di-"

"_Zaraki_."

Kenpachi pursed his lips and could only glare at Jushiro through menacing grey eyes that would have reduced a normal shinigami to a shaking, sweating heap on the floor, but Jushiro remained unfazed.

"Don't worry too m-"

"I ain't worryin'!"

"Captain Kurotsuchi won't cause any trouble than is necessary, so I expect you to do the same." Jushiro extended his fingers, touched them gently to Kenpachi's chin with a hopeful smile. "Stay calm and don't react to whatever taunts or mockery he throws at you. I know you can do it, Zaraki, if you just learn to control your temper."

Kenpachi scoffed, turning away to look out the window.

"'Tis jus' gonna be like one of 'em dumbass missions again. Guard Kurotsuchi and watch him do all that crazy scientific shit. I ain't gonna be surprised if he blows up the Seireitei with one a'those crazy-ass experiments a'his," he grumbled, folding his arms across his chest, and gazed down at the courtyard where his underlings were sparring with each other.

The short stretch of silence that followed shattered when Kenpachi gave a snicker as Yachiru so happily hopped onto a lower-ranking shinigami's head and made him trip over his own feet, but when he looked up and saw Jushiro's faint reflection in the glass, his smirk was reduced to a frown.

"Worried, are ye?"

Jushiro turned away slightly, pondering whether or not to voice his suspicions and concerns. Many were of the mission at hand, of what had happened there in the Dangai but, despite how much he wanted to ignore it, he was also worried of Kenpachi's wellbeing.

"I'm worried," he admitted, giving a small nod. "Don't you find it a little odd that Lieutenants Matsumoto and Ise returned without any memory of the events in the Dangai? They were there – Shunsui and Captain Hitsugaya said they had been long gone, but they claimed to have reported back here immediately after Lieutenant Matsumoto received her captain's call." He pinched his chin, thinking hard. "The timeline doesn't seem to match… What do you think, Zaraki?"

But Kenpachi had turned back to the window, watching as Yachiru messed with a frantic Yumichika's hair. Jushiro held back a protest, a retort to chastise him for being so laidback at the situation with time only to curse Kurotsuchi, and turned on his heel towards the door.

"You had better make a move now. I'm certain the others are already waiting for you…and the earlier you go, the earlier you'll return," he said.

"I don't get why ye're so worried, Ukitake."

When Jushiro faced Kenpachi, he was greeted with one of his infamous grins – it was one that instantly sent a surge of reassurance through Jushiro, but still at the same time reminded him that there still existed a risk.

"It's jus' some dumbass mission, like I said. I'll bet I won't even have t'lift a damn finger." Kenpachi walked past him, but when he curled his fingers around the cold doorknob, Jushiro, from behind, wrapped his arms around his waist, halting him. "What _now_, old man?"

Jushiro was quiet for a moment, hands clutching at Kenpachi's haori. He knew he shouldn't be as concerned as he currently was – the man was strong enough to take out an _Espada_ – but then there he was, acting like a child who wouldn't let go off of his best friend's hand.

"Just…just be careful, okay?" Jushiro murmured, voice slightly muffled by cloth. "Who knows what lies within the Dangai? I don't even know the full extent of it, so I can't tell you more than what Master Yamamoto has."

"I don't need another goddamned briefing." Kenpachi scoffed, turning his body around so that he could look down at Jushiro. "Dumbass, I can handle m'self without ye tellin' me all this bullshit. What, ye don't think I can, eh?"

"Oh, you and your ego." Jushiro chuckled, but that did nothing to lift his burden.

"Don't think I can make it, eh?" Kenpachi still wasn't convinced when Jushiro forced a smile, so he reached out and let his fingers run through Jushiro's white strands. "Asshole, I'll be _fine_."

Jushiro let his eyelids drift to a close, sighing in contentment at the warmth Kenpachi's body emitted, and lay his head on the man's broad chest.

"Ye need to trust me more," Kenpachi growled lowly, smoothing a hand over Jushiro's hair like he so often did to Yachiru whenever they were alone. "You worry too much, Ukitake."

"Perhaps I do." Jushiro raised his head, looked at Kenpachi in the eye and, though he knew that it was hard to believe him when he said that he would try and control his thirst for battle, Jushiro brushed his lips over Kenpachi's, pulling him closer.

"And I trust you."

* * *

><p><strong>A review would be nice. :)<strong>


End file.
